


What’s always without you?

by Former_Princess



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 20:20:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13302450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Former_Princess/pseuds/Former_Princess
Summary: This came to my mind the minute I watched the finale episode. Theo left after the fight in the hospital, claiming to sort some things out for himself. He promised Liam to come back…





	What’s always without you?

“You have absolutely no idea where he is?”

Liam stopped wrapping his lacrosse stick with some tape and looked up, shooting a glare at Corey and Nolan. “Did I stutter?” He asked, brows furrowing in annoyance. “I, Liam Dunbar, have absolutely no idea where Theodore Raeken is at this very moment.” He said solemnly, even going as far to raise one hand in mock pledge. 

“But....” Corey started again and Liam rolled his eyes.  
 “Okay, stop right there before I start snapping. Theo is out of town, he needed to sort some things out for himself. After the hospital...” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “After what happened at the hospital, after we won and all the adrenaline was out of his system, he realized what happened, okay? So he told me he had to take his time and process it. Alone. On his own.”

Liam remembered the talk when Theo showed up at his house in the early morning hours. He had seen a shocked eighteen-year-old boy, visibly shaken up by the events, had seen the impact his ability to take Gabe’s pain had left on Theo and Liam had felt sorry. Theo was completely overwhelmed, they all were, but Theo was suddenly faced with the possibility of him being redeemed. He had told Liam the knowledge of him caring enough to take pain was just so new and overbearing, he almost felt as if was rushing over him and he couldn’t think straight. Since Liam freed him, Theo had worked on redeeming himself and now that he had managed to do just that, the chimera had no idea what was in for him now. What was about to come, what he wanted, what he wanted to achieve. 

That’s why he left town. To clear his head without being constantly surrounded by memories. Liam could understand that. It’s what he told Theo, trying very hard to be brave and supportive of his friend. Because Theo was just that, okay? His friend. They went through all this and the older risked his ass for Liam several times, it was safe to say they were past the alley stage and right in the middle of friendship. Liam liked having Theo around and the other leaving had been hard for him but he tried to disguise it. Theo had noticed anyway, of course he did, and his reaction had been equally surprising as it had been welcome: He had pulled Liam in a hug. Theo Raken had pulled him, Liam Dunbar, in a hug, a very tight hug to say the least, and Liam had clung to him too. “Hey, I’m not leaving forever. I will be coming back, I promise.” Theo had muttered and Liam swallowed before he nodded. “I knew.” He had uttered back and squeezed Theo one last time before they parted, the older boy got in his truck, and drove away.

“He will return one day, he promised.” Liam now repeated for what felt the millionth time. He really didn’t get why Corey and Nolan were on his case about that so much.  
“You miss him, don’t you?” Nolan asked, squeezing Liam’s shoulder in a comforting gesture.  
“Well, of course, I do. He’s my friend.” And yeah he had thought Theo would at least message him every once in a while to let Liam know he was still alive. But since Theo left three months ago, radio silence. Okay, Liam could work with that. 

He wouldn’t text Theo and make it seem like he was a worried mother hen. Theo was old enough and strong enough to look out for himself. No matter if Monroe and her army were still out there, Theo was smart and cunning. Liam wouldn’t think about all the negative things that could have happened and he sure as hell wouldn’t think about Theo enjoying his life somewhere else because that would only make him feel something he forbade himself from exploring any further. This undefined feeling was enough to make him feel strange, no need to explore this any further. 

Scrambling to his feet Liam stuffed his things in his locker and changed into his street clothes. “Uhm, yeah, do you guys want to hang out at the Diner? I’m craving a good bacon burger if I’m being honest.” Everything as long as he didn’t have to dwell on the feeling images of Theo being happy somewhere else ~~with someone else~~. 

Nolan and Corey obviously decided they would let it slide for now because they also gathered their things and together the three friends left the locker room and shortly after the school.  
“Mason’s still with Deaton and learning all about the supernatural?” Nolan asked Corey who nodded.   
“I’m sure he will join us for burgers though. Who says no to that?” He laughed and Liam had to agree. The burgers in the Diner not far from school were too delicious to stay away.”  
“We should go there more o....” He wanted to suggest but something in front of him made him cut himself off abruptly. 

Because there, just a few feet away from them, stood Theo Raeken. Hair a bit longer than last time Liam saw him but just as perfectly styled as always and looking as neat as he always did (even when he had been homeless), stood the one person Liam had missed more than anybody else. And that said something, giving most of his friends were at college or out of town. But Theo, Theo had left a special empty spot in Liam’s life and his heart too. 

And all of sudden he was back again, smiling softly at Liam. 

“Hey.” Theo greeted and that voice made Liam drop his bag. He was here, Theo was really here. He was back, just like he had promised Liam months ago. Liam felt a big smile spread over his whole face and he moved towards Theo, telling himself to keep his dignity and not jump his returned friend.

***

“He jumped him.”, Nolan said later. “Talking full on running towards him, lunching at Theo and hugging him tightly here.”  
“And Theo didn’t drop him. He staggered a few steps back but he didn’t drop Liam.” Corey chimed in and Liam blushed, much to the chagrin of his friend’s. Mason chuckled at his best friend reaction.  
“I didn’t jump him!” Liam tried to defend himself.  
“You had your legs wrapped around him! Liam, you basically turned into a koala right then and there.” Nolan laughed. “But Corey has a point too, Theo never stopped holding you. Nope, he hugged back actually.”  
“Really?” Mason asked gleefully and Liam groaned, resting his forehead against the table. 

He had really tried to keep his calm but having Theo stand there, smile at him and having him talk to Liam made Liam realized how badly he actually missed the older boy. So he had started running and yes, unfortunately, jumped Theo. He could still hear the chimera’s surprised laugh in his ear but then Theo had wrapped his arms around Liam and kept him from falling flat on his ass. It had given Liam a strange sense of protection, the one he always felt around Theo. Theo would never let him get hurt, one way or another.

Feeling somebody slide next to him in the booth as well as the delicious smell of onion rings made Liam’s head snap up again. Theo had settled on the table as well, bringing a plate full of onion rings with him,

“You hate those!” Liam exclaimed and Theo shrugged, snatching a few fries from Liam’s plate. 

“And you love them. Figured you would like it.” He made a hand motion towards the plate, offering some to Nolan, Mason, and Corey too. His arm slung over the backrest of the booth and Liam caught himself asking if the way Theo’s hand stroke over his back while doing so was just an accident of desired. He blushed against and snatched two onion rings which he quickly devoured. They were the best in town.

“How have you been?” Corey now asked Theo and Theo shrugged. “I’ve been driving around, visited a few towns and cleared my head. Was a lot to take in.”  
“Did you manage to sort your thoughts?” Mason asked.  
Theo nodded. “Yeah, mostly. I know what I want to do now, what I want to have and achieve.”   
“That’s great.” Mason smiled at the oldest of the group and Theo nodded his head with a small smile. “It is.”

Liam meanwhile acted like nothing was off but he felt the way Theo’s thumb stroke forms on his back while he talked. It was a casual move but it made something in Liam stir again. Was Theo doing this on purpose or was he just too focused on the talk to notice?

“What were you talking about?” Theo asked curiously and Liam groaned once more when Mason, Corey, and Nolan turned towards him with shit-eating grins on their faces.   
“About the way Liam suddenly turned into a koala instead a werewolf and clung to you.” Corey snickered and really, Liam loved his friends, but right now he wanted to strangle them! “And how you didn’t drop him. Something we actually expected.”  
Theo chuckled. “I saved Liam’s ass so many times, I’m used to sudden actions from him. This wasn’t as surprising as you would like to think.”   
Liam had to bite back as gasp because now he felt Theo’s whole hand slowly stroking over his back, softly stroking his skin through the fabric of his shirt, and had the chimera’s hand always been this hot? Liam felt like it was burning a hole in his clothing. And it was definitively not an accident that Theo was stroking his back, that was for sure!

“You’re an idiot!” He choked out and grabbed his coke to take a large gulp. That way he didn’t need to talk or look at Theo. And it hopefully cooled him down enough so he wasn’t as blushing as much as he felt himself doing. His cheeks were literally burning. 

***

“I missed you, you know?” Liam said when they were driving home. Theo chuckled softly and stopped his car in the driveway of the Dunbar-Geyer house.

“Your greeting gave that away, believe me.” 

Liam sighed and rolled his eyes. “And I’m outta here.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and the opened the passenger door. “Welcome home, Theo.” He said with one last look at his friend, offering a soft smile. Theo returned the smile with one of his own and Liam left the car, slamming the door shut. One last wave to Theo and he made his way to the front door but on his way his steps haltered, thoughts running around like crazy in his head.

He was so happy Theo was back, back where he belonged. Beacon Hills. Liam. Liam didn’t know when he had started to see it that way but now it was crystal clear to him: Theo belonged with him and he didn't want him to leave ever again. Not without Liam at least. His longing for the older had gotten stronger with every day Theo had not been there and suddenly Liam found it impossible to ignore the undefined feeling in his stomach any longer. Not when every touch from Theo felt like fire.

Spinning around he was chasing after the car, good thing Theo was just slowly pulling out of the driveway. When he saw Liam running towards him, he stopped altogether, winding down his window. “Liam? What’s wrong?”

“I forget something!” Liam called out and Theo frowned.

“What did you forget? Your bag is right on your shoulder.” 

But Liam didn’t waste any more time with long explanations, instead, he opened the door to the driver seat, grabbed Theo by the collar of his shirt, and yanked him into a kiss. His heart was running a mile per minute, thundering against his ribcage, and when Theo didn’t respond he was about to pull away and start apologizing; but suddenly there was a hand on his cheek and Theo moved his lips, kissing back with equal fervor. 

How long they stood there and kissed, Liam didn’t know, all sense of time completely forgotten, but when they eventually did, Liam leaned his forehead against Theo’s. “I can't let you go ever again. At first, I just missed you as a friend but then I realized...I realized there is something else you suddenly you’re back and you’re holding me and you’re making me feel safe and the feeling I have intensified and your hand feel like fire and please, tell me it makes sense what I’m babbling!”

Theo laughed softly. “I get what you’re trying to say. And before you even ask, I felt something similar.” He looked down and laced their fingers together. “While I was away I tried to sort some things out and after a while, it always came back to you. You were the one pulling me back, you were there, it was always you. I said I wouldn’t die for you but that’s a lie. If it means keeping you safe and sound, I would basically do anything.”

“Don’t say that! Because if you die then....then we can’t kiss again. Oh god, if you want to kiss again I mean. Didn’t want to assume. You have....” Theo cut him off with another kiss, softer this time and Liam felt himself smile into the kiss.

“Breathe, Liam. I would love to continue kissing you. As often as you want. I like kissing you. Just as much as I like you” He smiled softly and Liam found himself thinking how much he loved this look on Theo’s face.

“I like it too. And you. Can we figure this out, like together? And now just as friends?”

Theo nodded and squeezed Liam’s hand. “Together sounds great to me.”

Liam kissed him once more and then cleared his throat. “Well, you're back but I don’t think you already got yourself a place yet? We have a guest room and in case you don’t like it, my bed is big enough for two.” He invited Theo with a smirk. The chimera’s eyes widened slightly but then he grinned and was faster out of the car as one would think, one arm slung around Liam’s shoulders while they walked towards the front door.

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this on tumblr but never here. So here it is!


End file.
